WidJana - New Handpan from the Ukraine

eBay might take a lot of fire within the core Handpan community for being an “evil corporation”, and all that stuff (which, to be honest, they kind of are), but, over the last seven years of writing this blog, eBay falls second only to YouTube, as the platform through which we have discovered many new builders. With a fair number even of the now established makers, having sold their earliest instruments via the auction platform, before building up their reputations enough to sell elsewhere. And to this day, eBay continues to frequently reveal new makes of Handpan, that we might otherwise not have discovered. As happened recently when a Handpan by “WidJana” was listed for sale. A Handpan that, at a time when eBay sales of Handpan have been a little stagnant, caused something of a stir. Not based on established reputation (or at least, not on one that we are aware of here at HPM, having not heard of these guys previously), but solely, on the obvious quality of their sound…

WidJana Handpan, also seemingly going by the name of “Jan Drum”, are made in Chernivtsi, in Ukraine. And are Believed to be the work of one, Alex Dostovalov (though this has not yet been confirmed at time of posting). And with another three Widjana Handpan listed on eBay at time of posting again garnering considerable attention (and bids) - it shows that while an established reputation for producing quality time-and-time again goes a long way within the Handpan scene, there is still plenty of room for newer makers who are able to hit the desired mark...